The Labor enquirer., 1887-10-15

of ~ bin q ~ s<fs1nee II bis country, .
% visw the oituation d public affairs and
tsat prsvails On ~ part Of the wealth
producere. farmefs are suffering from
poverty which hes forced most Of them
70 mortgage their eetateo, and prices of
produce ere % Low - 70 o6er no relief
except through Bankruptcy. Laborers
are sinking into greater and greater de-
pendence. 6tTikeo aro reoorted to with
out relief, because Of H. inability of en-
ployers IN many oases 10 pay living wages,
while more and more are driven into the
streets. Business msn hnd collections al
most impossible, meantime hundreds of
millions Of idle publis money which is
needed for relief Il locked up in the
United States treasury in grim mockery
Of the distress; land monopoly fourishes
as never known before, and more and
more owners Of the soil are daily becom-
ing tenants. Great transportation corpo-
rations still succeed IN extorting their
profits upon watered stock through unjust
charges. The United States senate has
become an open scandal, its seats being
purchased BY the rich in open defiance Of
the popular win. A triAing fisheries dis
puts is seized upon % an excuse for nec-
essary military preparations which are
designed to breed spirit Of war, to ape
European despotism, and to empty the
treasury without paying the public debt.
Under these and other alarming condi-
tions We appeal 70 the people of the
whole country to come out of the old
party organizations, where indifference
to the public welfare is responsible for
this distress, and help Us to organize a
new political party, not sectional but ma
tional, whose members shall be called
commoners, whose object shall be to re-
peal all class laws in favor of the rich, and
to relieve the distress of our industries
by establishing the following principles
/. Land-Every human being possesses
natural, inalienable right to sufficient
land for self support, and we desire to Sc
cure to ever industrious citizen home as
the highest result of free institutions. To
this end we desire graduated land tax
on all land estates, especially those held
for speculative or tenant purpose; the re-
claimation of all unearned land grants;
the immediate opening of Oklahoma to
homestead settlement; the purchase of
all unoccupied Indian lands, and the set
tlement of the various tribes in severalty;
also laws preventing corporations from
acquiring real estate beyond the requir-
ments of their business, and alien owner
ship of land. The system of irrigation,
in states and territories where necessary,
shall be under such public control as shall
secure the free and equitable use of the
waters and franchises to the people.
2. Transportation-The means of COM
munication or transportation should be
controlled by the people, as is the United
States postal system, and equitable rates
everywhere established.
8. Money-The establishment of ma
tional monetary system in the interest of
the producer instead of the speculator
and usurer by which circulating medium
in necessary quantity and full legal ten
der, shall be issued directly to the peo-
pie, without the Intervention of banks, or
loaned to citizens upon ample security at
low rate of interest to relieve them from
the extortions of usury and enable them
to control the money supply. Postal saw
ings banks should be established. While
we have free coinage of gold, we should
have free coinage of silver. We demand
the prompt payment of the national debt,
and condemn the further issue of interest
bearing bonds, either by the national gov
ernment, or by states, territories, counties
or municipalities.
4. Labor-Arbitration should take the
place of strikes and other injurious meth
DDS of settling labor disputes; the letting of
convict labor to contractors be prohibited;
the contract system be abolished in pub
lie works; the hours of labor in industrial
establishments be reduced commensurate
with the increase of production in labor
saving machinery; employees to be pro-
tected from bodily injury; equal pay be-
ing given for equal work for both sexes,
and labor, agricultural and cooperative
associations be favored and incorporated
by law. The foundation of a republic is
the intelligence of its citizens, and chill.
dren who are driven into workshops,
mines and factories are deprived of edu-
cation which should be secured by proper
legislation. We desire to see labor organ
izations extend throughout all civilized
countries, until it shall be impossible for
despots to array the workingmen of one
country in war against their brothers of
another country.
8. Soldiers and Sailors-In apprecia-
tion of the services of United States SOL
diers and sailors we demand for them JUS
tice before charity. The purposely de-
preciated money paid them during the
war should be made equal in value to the
gold paid the bondholder. The soldier
was promised gold or its equivalent and
was paid in deprecated paper. The bond
holder loaned the government deprecated
paper and contracted to take it back, but
was paid in gold.
6. Income Taxa graduated income
is the most equitable system of taxation,
placing the burden of government on
those who can best afford to pay, instead
of laying it on the farmers and producers,
and exempting millionaire bondholders
and corporations.
Z. United States Senate-The capture
of the United States senate by million
aires and and tools of corporations who
have no sympathy with free institutions,
threatens the very existence of the repub-
lie. We demand constitutional amend
ment making United States senators elect
i've by direct vote of the people.
8. Chinese-State and national laws
should be such as shall effectually exclude
from America the Mongolian slaves and
Asiatic competition.